1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to portable electronic devices having removable panels, and more particularly to a latching assembly for detachably securing a removable panel to a portable electronic device.
2. Prior Art
Nowadays, portable electronic devices such as mobile phones and PDAs (personal digital assistants) are in widespread use around the world. There is more and more demand for higher quality and serviceability of these portable electronic devices. Many portable electronic devices are provided with removable panels that can be changed over for new, more aesthetically pleasing panels when so desired by users.
Removable panels are most commonly provided for mobile phones. A user may from time to time want to remove an old panel from a base cover of the mobile phone, and install a new fashionable panel on the base cover instead. The new panel must be attached firmly and securely.
Currently, removable panels of portable electronic devices are commonly fixed on the base covers by means of structures integrated with the panels themselves. An example is the removable panel of the mobile phone model No. OT310 marketed by ALCATEL CORPORATION. A top of the removable panel is bent to define a holding portion, and a hook protrudes from an inner surface of the holding portion. The removable panel has a peripheral flange. A bottom of the removable panel has two projections, and opposite sides of the removable panel have a plurality of detents. The projections and the detents protrude from the flange. Corresponding to the structure of the removable panel, the base cover has an engaging surface, and defines a notch, two grooves and a plurality of slits. The notch is located at a top of the engaging surface. The grooves are located at a bottom of the engaging surface. The slits are located at two opposite sides of the engaging surface. In assembly, the projections are firstly inserted into the grooves and retained therein. The hook is then inserted into the notch, with the detents being received in the slits. The hook is firmly engaged in the notch, and the detents are securely engaged in the slits. Thus the removable panel is firmly fixed to the base cover. In disassembly, the hook is first disengaged from the notch, with the detents being removed from the slits. The projections are then pulled out from the grooves. The removable panel is thus fully detached from the base cover.
It is important for the removable panel to not only be firmly retained in the base cover, but also to be easily removed when needed. Generally, a good deal of force needs to be exerted on the removable panel for it to be detached. The removable panel is easily damaged if excessive force is applied, both in the process of detaching the removable panel and also in attaching the removable panel.
A new latching assembly for a removable panel of a portable electronic device is desired in order to overcome the above-described problems.